John 3:16 & Red Koolaid: VBS Through the Years

Teacher's Perspective: Prior to the start of Vacation Bible School, which was held Monday through Friday mornings, church members would go door to door to the houses in the areas around the church and distribute flyers about our upcoming VBS and encourage the parents to send their children. Members also distributed these flyers to homes in their neighborhoods.

Each year the children attending VBS would gather as a class and they would take part in recreation, music, crafts, and snacks and spend time learning God's Word in the classroom. Wednesday night of VBS was 'open house' when children would bring their parents/guardians/friends to their classroom. This provided another way to share God's Word.

On the Sunday afternoon prior to Monday's VBS opening day, the classroom teachers spent hours decorating their classrooms with themes derived from the week's VBS lessons. One year we had a sandbox filled with two bags of sand which was used to search for hidden treasures. Donated jewelry was buried in the sand and the children searched for these hidden treasures which also included the Bible verses they were to memorize.

One year classroom decorations included picking up empty appliance boxes from Modern TV & Appliance and painting and decorating them as a 'house' or community would appear in Biblical times. Fabric and other decorative items and robes completed the decor.

The lesson on Paul's journeys as he traveled via ship came to life as one teacher (Paula White) used pictures of her cruise to Alaska to share the story. She included what it was like to be on a ship and compared it to how Paul traveled during his lifetime.

Another year a teacher whose upstairs classroom was the farthest from the second-floor stairwell brought a bale of hay into the classroom as part of her classroom decorations. The children enjoyed 'playing in the hay' and when Friday afternoon arrived, it was no longer a bale of hay. Unfortunately, clean-up did not proceed as the teacher planned and straw was scattered all along the hallway and down the stairs all the way outdoors to the playground sidewalk. These remaining straws of hay were left for the custodians to clean up. I had completed cleaning up my classroom and was walking down the hallway to go home. Seeing all the straw lying in the carpeted hallway, which could not be vacuumed, and was not sweeping up well, Associate Pastor Pat McDonald, Custodian George Day, and I, with my children helping, picked up the straws of hay leaving the hallway and stairwell cleared of all the straw. It was quite a tedious job.

With the move to the new church on South W. S. Young, the front of the sanctuary was decorated with the VBS theme. Members, including Anne Cina, used their artistic abilities to create magnificent scenic displays which made one feel they were part of the story. As the years progressed, the scenic displays became more elaborate, and volunteers spent days preparing them. Each VBS day began with the children sitting in their grade designated group with their teacher and assistants. The opening ceremony included songs with motions which the children easily learned and a brief video story and message. Following this, the children would rotate from their classroom to other activity areas. During their music time, the children learned the motions to the songs. Crafts were usually completed each day but occasionally a class would have a week-long project. Outside recreation activities included games and competitions. In inclement weather, the Fellowship Hall was used but these activities were less physical. Snack time began with the pledges to the American Flag, Christian Flag, and the Bible followed by a prayer. After the children finished their refreshments, and before departing the area, they gathered near the stage and sang while they did the motions to the songs. On Thursday and Friday, the older children had an abbreviated snack time as they assembled in the sanctuary to hear the pastor present the Plan of Salvation. Each day ended with the groups in the sanctuary singing and listening to God's message. Parents waited outside the sanctuary until the children were dismissed before walking to the pew to 'check out' their child.

Since the lock down for COVID and no VBS that summer, attendance has dropped significantly. It is our prayer that in the coming years we will see hundreds of children attending VBS and members willing to volunteer their time to bring God's message to our future generations.

In conclusion, I am thankful to all the volunteers throughout the years that have aided in making our summer VBS successful in spreading the Word of God to those in our community. Thank you for your Christian service.

Student's Perspective: Judy Stubblefield Tyler, one of our lifelong church members who attended VBS faithfully through the years, tells a powerful story. "Growing up in FBCK and going to VBS are great memories. I don't remember ever not going to VBS in the summer. We would start gearing up as soon as school let out. A highlight of Saturday before VBS began was decorating the city busses that the Church rented and then riding around town in them yelling, 'Come to Vacation Bible School.'

Vacation Bible School lasted for two weeks and included all ages, nursery babies through high schools students. The Church ran bus routes throughout the city, picking up and dropping off the kids. Riding those busses was almost as much fun as attending VBS! When we got to the Church each morning, we would line up outside, behind our banner, and then enter the building in groups. Our church was full of kids! Classes included Bible lessons (John 3:16, for example), mission lessons, and crafts, all conducted inside our classroom. Our craft project took a full week to complete. When VBS ended, we each had at least two projects to show our parents and then take home. We also went to music class and enjoyed recreation and refreshments. The main snack was red Kool-Aid and cookies. I remember that one year we had a special treat on the last day: DQ ICE CREAM SANDWICHES!

At the end of our two weeks, we had parent night. Each group presented some kind of entertainment. Most sang a song; some put on a skit. After the program, we would take our parents to the fellowship hall to see all the things we had learned and what we had made. One year, I believe it was at the end of my sophomore year in high school, our project was a pencil holder. My mom was talking to a friend as they walked around looking at the crafts. When they got to the table where my class had our pencil holders, Mom pointed out the one that she thought was the prettiest. When she picked it up and saw my name on it, she was embarrassed. She was afraid that her friend would think that she was boasting, bragging on her daughter. I kept that pencil holder for years, ntil the macaroni decorations began to deteriorate.

At the end of VBS we received a certificate. If you didn't miss a day, you got a gold seal on your certificate. I loved that gold seal.

Those were the good 'ole days."